Didnt anyone to think I had given up any hope on the Cats playing well in the Tourney but my mind did start to wonder to next year. I am basing this on Smith getting a scholarship spot and Berry and MN both coming back and no one else leaving. With two signed incoming freshman Ciarvino (soft c) and Windhalm that is 12 scholarship spots. I believe 13 is the number. That leaves one spot for a portal player. There were two freshman who did not play this year in Parker Strauss and Blake Barkley. It would seem that Boo is the biggest spot and player to replace. Clayton is the only true point guard on the roster. Big question for me is what will the group that played little this year look like next year. Will anyone of them be ready to really contribute in a meaningful way. Smith, Mullins, Hunger, Clayton, Strauss and or Barkley and you add the two incoming freshman that is a significant portion of the whole roster. Out of that whole group to me only Smith showed some " I am ready now" ness. Assuming Berry and MN come back healthy and you add Martinelli and Barnhizer you start with a solid experienced core....How do we finish up this line up for next year? Again biggest question for me is do we turn over the keys to the car to Clayton or look for some gold in the transfer portal ( which is already open and over 200)
not loading the moving truck just figuring out what size truck to get when the time comes....say mid April
- Thread starter loyolacat
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Solid analysis. Based on the numbers, I see no way Smith gets a scholarship next year (minus multiple unforeseen transfers). We are in dire need of a transfer lead guard and a big.
I think Hunger showed enough “I’m ready now” to satisfy me in his first year with any real action. Sure, he has a ton of work to do, especially defensively, but he showed he belonged enough for me to be cautiously optimistic that he can take a leap next year.
There was one guy who played a bit this year where the game just didn’t play at a speed he looked comfortable with. Would not be surprised if he looks for a league more attuned with his level.
Who? Hopefully, none of the starters. That leaves Hunger, Mullins and the 3 freshmen from this year’s class. Maybe Mullins if he thinks Smith has passed him on the depth chart.
I would guess Barkley if asked. I just can’t imagine he can play at the BigTen level, and he must realize that.
I think that’s just wishful thinking. He was freshman and we have no point guard on the roster for next year with any experience. If I were him, I would give it another year and if doesn’t play, decide then. Or if he values the education, sit on the bench and get his degree. As I said, I think Mullins is more likely. Although would he have to sit out a year since he already transferred once?
Does anyone have any insight as to how Parker Strauss looks at practice? He was a point guard & iirc his HS coach called him the best passer in the country. I’m not too optimistic because if Clayton was better, that suggests he doesn’t look like a Big point guard as Clayton left a lot to be desired.
I think the key to success next season is getting a pretty talented transfer to be lead guard.
With a strong transfer running the point, NU can be a pretty good team if Berry & Nicolson return and their injuries haven’t materially hurt their games.
Not anymore after judges’ ruling in West Virginia case. Multiple transfers are immediately eligible.
This reminds me of the scene in Moneyball. You’re not going to replace Giambi. But you can recreate him in the aggregate. If NU can really find a good PG who can make threes, a sharpshooter, and Tydus Verhoeven and don’t lose any of the core four, they’ll be fine. There just has to be room.
And although I believe Blake Smith deserves a scholarship yesterday, I also agree that we have to be strategic (and not sentimental) about it.
This is just a guess, frankly. Thought I would throw it out there and see if anyone had thoughts on him. I’m a bit surprised a 3-star guy is red-shirted, and he does not look like he’s bulked up much.
Barkley and Strauss are both entirely blank canvasses. There’s been virtually nothing reported or rumored about how well they’ve done in practice or anything. We can project anything we want onto either of them. That means anything speculated here says more about the poster than the player.
I hate to answer this because it will lead the conversation in a way that I don’t want it to go, but I can’t help myself.
It means you are on the side of the spectrum that thinks less of our talent and more of our coaches, but we already knew that.
I happen to think both of them will develop into productive Big Ten players, but that just reflects my general outlook on life.
Ok - appreciate the answer. I certainly have doubts about a 3-star who we got very late and is now red-shirted. And yes - I agree I think our coaches are excellent, develop players, and make up for our having less talent than many teams that finish behind us in the standings. I don’t think that has anything to do with my outlook on life/people.
But wouldn’t you say it’s pretty irresponsible and ****** to say a kid isn’t a Big Ten player when you know absolutely nothing about him and have no idea what he looks like as a player and how he’s developing?
And even worse to say that the kid, himself, must realize it when you know absolutely nothing about him or his situation?
I can see you might get that from my point, so my apologies. I do know he’s not playing. I’ll also add he doesn’t show a lot of enjoyment when I see him, while Strauss does. I was just trying to play the potential transfer game and he came up as my guess. I don’t mean to demean him as a person.
Barkley’s redshirt has as much to do with Blake, Borg, Barney, Berry and Nick as it has to do with his talents.
Watch these highlights below. He has multiple attributes to his game: outside shot, ability to work inside, physical play, some hops. He's not a bad comp to Nick, actually.
Watch these highlights below. He has multiple attributes to his game: outside shot, ability to work inside, physical play, some hops. He's not a bad comp to Nick, actually.
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If you need any further encouragement about the redshirt route, look no further on our roster than NMart and Hunger. Both were 3 stars too.
Absent information or evidence, I’ve been assuming Collins plan was always to redshirt Strauss and Barkley (and Smith) for development without burning eligibility. That’s the program he wants to have, frosh coming in to learn, to train, and to build up mass and endurance, sophs and up starting.
I’ll maintain that assumption until they transfer out or Collins says something to change my mind. Injuries are the only reason Smith saw the court, and that seems like more a long term plan than any detrimental comment on his ability.
I’ll maintain that assumption until they transfer out or Collins says something to change my mind. Injuries are the only reason Smith saw the court, and that seems like more a long term plan than any detrimental comment on his ability.
It is such a different route, but also one that can work at NU. Find the gamers. Find the attitudes. Find team players. Find coachability.
Also, they should be good at basketball.
There’s that shred that wishes Barnhizer had gotten the redshirt. Dude wasn’t ready and hardly played as a freshman, showed hockey-stick improvement midway through his soph year, starred as a junior, and will get first team preseason votes as a senior.
It looks like Strauss cut his hair. He had a great mop as a recruit.
I talked to Barkley’s family for a long time during the Rhode Island game and they said he was very happy.
He recruited that class when it looked like he was going to be fired. I think he found the best players that could get admitted. I assume this next class will have a better offers list. Doesn’t mean they will be better but I don’t think he was seeking out underdogs.